5 most valuable Brazil players (August 2021)
Brazil, the South American nation, has given the world of football so many valuable players. From the days of the legendary Pele on to the very recent Neymar, the country has been home to some of the greatest in world football.
And why not? Brazil boasts of having won a record five World Cup titles. Though their last win in the competition came way back in 2002, they are always just a few wins away from hitting their prime. The gold medal they won in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics is proof of how good they are in the trades of the game.
This often results in big European clubs digging deep inside the country to seek out their next star player. Often the players that are found are not polished gems, who after a lot of nurturing go on to become the club's next most valuable player.
Neymar's journey to become one of Brazil's most valuable players
If you take the case of Neymar, the 29-year-old was still relatively new to the European football scene when he was snapped up by Barcelona from Santos in 2013.
After much controversy surrounding the deal, it was revealed that Barcelona had spent less than €19.3m to take him to Spain from Brazil with another €40m being put down as salary.
There is no doubting that when Neymar left Barcelona in 2017, joining Paris Saint-Germain, he had already become a superstar and one of the most valuable players coming from Brazil.
There are a few others who fall into the category of being the most valuable Brazilian players in the world right now. We'll now take a look at the list of the top five in that category:
#5 Fabinho - €60m
Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder features fifth on the list of the world's most valuable Brazilian players. Fabinho's role in all of Liverpool's most important games can hardly be ignored.
The Brazilian provides balance to the Reds and has thrived at the base of a three-man midfield under Jurgen Klopp. He gives Liverpool protection in midfield against an attacker capable of moving inside with possession.
What adds to Fabinho's advantage is his visionary skills. He recognizes situations when his team-mates require him as a cover while they go challenging a particular player.
When Liverpool snapped him up from Monaco in 2018, his market value was around €45m which over the course of the last three seasons has significantly increased. Currently, Fabinho is one of the most valuable Brazilian players Liverpool have in their squad.
#4 Alisson - €60m
The fourth on the list of Brazil's most valuable players is also from the Merseyside club. Who can forget his decisive header against West Brom last season? One that helped Liverpool finish in the top three and thus automatically qualify for Europe.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, Alisson is one of the tallest goalkeepers in the league. Aside from having excellent reflexes and good shot stopping skills, the 28-year-old is also a calming influence on the Reds' back-line.
While aerial dominance is one area where the Brazil international has room for improvement, he is excellent at reading situations. He anticipates risks and knows when to come out and when to stay put.
With stalwarts like Virgil van Dijk absent in front of him last season, the 28-year-old played a crucial role in keeping the overall number of goals conceded down to 42.
This year, though, his game could improve even further in the presence of a returning Van Dijk. If that's the case, Alisson's stock could rise even further in the market.